St. Pete Police Officer Seriously Hurt in Crash

Published: Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 12:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Saturday, November 24, 2012 at 12:27 p.m.

ST. PETERSBURG | A St. Petersburg police officer was hospitalized Friday with serious injuries along with two others after the officer's patrol cruiser collided with a pickup.

Officer Bridget Voelker was driving west just before 2:30 p.m. in the north curb lane of First Avenue North approaching the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, police said. At the same time, Cynthia Johnson, 48, of St. Petersburg was headed south on King Street approaching First Avenue North in a 2011 Chevy pickup.

The vehicles entered the intersection at the same time and collided, police said.

Voelker and Johnson were both taken to Bayfront Medical Center, police said. A passenger in Johnson's pickup, Carolyn Leonard, 51, of St. Petersburg, was also hospitalized at Bayfront.

It was unclear why both cars entered the intersection at the same time. The traffic signals at the intersection were working properly, police said. An investigation of the crash was ongoing Friday night.

<p>ST. PETERSBURG | A St. Petersburg police officer was hospitalized Friday with serious injuries along with two others after the officer's patrol cruiser collided with a pickup.</p><p>Officer Bridget Voelker was driving west just before 2:30 p.m. in the north curb lane of First Avenue North approaching the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, police said. At the same time, Cynthia Johnson, 48, of St. Petersburg was headed south on King Street approaching First Avenue North in a 2011 Chevy pickup.</p><p>The vehicles entered the intersection at the same time and collided, police said.</p><p>Voelker and Johnson were both taken to Bayfront Medical Center, police said. A passenger in Johnson's pickup, Carolyn Leonard, 51, of St. Petersburg, was also hospitalized at Bayfront.</p><p>It was unclear why both cars entered the intersection at the same time. The traffic signals at the intersection were working properly, police said. An investigation of the crash was ongoing Friday night.</p>